EDUCATION OP YOUTH. 269 



diversions, or in excursions along with their teachers, 

 their peculiar tastes, tempers, and conduct towards each 

 other, are openly developed ; they act without restraint ; 

 they appear in their true colors ; and a teacher has the 

 best opportunity of marking the dispositions they dis- 

 play. He can therefore apply at the moment those en- 

 couragements, and admonitions, and those Christian 

 rules and maxims, by which their characters, and con- 

 duct, may be moulded into the image of Him, * who 

 hath set us an example, that we should walk in his 

 steps.' " 



"The incidents, and the atmospherical phenomena 

 which may occur on such occasions, will also supply 

 materials for rational observations, and reflections, and 

 for directing the train of their affections, and the exer- 

 cise of their moral powers ; and no opportunity of this 

 kind, for producing useful impressions upon the young, 

 should be lost by the pious and intelligent instructor." 



Every reflecting teacher and parent, who reads the 

 above remarks, will see in them all that humanity, dis- 

 cretion, and judgment which every where distinguish 

 the pen of Dr. Dick, and especially when he speaks of 

 the physical and moral education of youth. But al- 

 though several of the exercises he has mentioned, are 

 fit for young ladies, they are meant to apply chiefly to 

 boys, for whose use there seems to be little difficulty in 

 the selection. But with respect to the girls, it is obvi- 

 ous that a distinction must be made, for although they 

 perhaps, require as much action as the boys, it ought 

 generally to be less athletic in its kind, and such as espe- 

 cially to give motion to the arms and muscles of the 

 chest. As a reason for selecting exercise of this sort, 

 for females, we will only recur to the well known fact, 

 already mentioned, that they are more liable to the con- 

 sumption of the lungs than males, let the cause be what 

 it may. Such recreations therefore, as give motion to 

 the pectoral muscles, as open and expand the lungs 

 and chest, and give strength to the organs of respiration 

 generally, are peculiarly proper for females. 



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